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The first time Steve Wesner saw a holiday lighting display in downtown Fort Wayne, he was just a boy standing among a crowd of thousands outside the Wolf & Dessauer department store. Each year, a winter wonderland took over the storefront, a magical, moving spectacle depicting everything good about the Christmas season. People traveled from all over the region to see its big reveal. “It was just extremely fascinating and the crowd would be heavy. You had to wait and work your way up to the front of the line to get up to the windows. People would be standing there as deep as the sidewalk was wide,� Wesner recalled. Years later, he would stand waiting in similar lines as his own children marveled at the sight. Wolf & Dessauer’s display was a first-rate means to attract shoppers and lure them through its doors. But nothing lasts forever — eventually the lavish window displays were discontinued after the retailer was purchased by L.S. Ayers. For many, those department store windows are thought of as a beloved childhood memory. But over the past several years, a sort of revival has taken place to restore the tradition so a new generation can make similar memories in Fort Wayne.
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+ATHY *AMES EVENT PLANNER AND DECORATOR AT #ORNER (OUSE #REATIONS DRESSES AN ANIMATED 3ANTA #LAUS FIGURE IN PREPARATION FOR THE %MBASSY 4HEATRE S #HRISTMAS WINDOW REVEAL AT THE OLD )NDIANA (OTEL “I really wanted to see something that happened years ago at Wolf & Dessauer,� said Kathy James, event planner and decorator at Corner House Creations. For years, she has taken part in decorating the Festival of Trees, an eight-day festival at the historic Embassy Theatre and old Indiana Hotel. But in 2008, James said she begged Dana Berkes, marketing director at Embassy Theatre, for a chance to pay homage to the
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! CHILD VISITS WITH 3ANTA DURING THE (OLIDAY -AGIC EVENT IN -ONROEVILLE 4HE EVENT IS SET FOR $EC IN DOWNTOWN -ONROEVILLE vendors, a trolley ride around town to one of fives stops and more. But, Norris said, don’t worry — there will still be visits with Santa Claus. New this year is a gingerbread house decorating contest. For just $5, anyone can enter and winners in several age
divisions will take home a $25 gift card. A People’s Choice award also will be given. “People can drive and park to any one of the five trolley stops, hop on, ride around and get a ride back all throughout the day,â€? Norris said. -iiĂŠMAGIC, ÂŤ>}iĂŠ ÂŁn
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Times Community Publications
The holiday season is approaching and the Monroeville Chamber of Commerce and area businesses are ready to get area residents in the spirit with its 2012 Holiday Magic event, set for Saturday, Dec. 1, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. downtown. Shawn Norris, secretary for the chamber, said the event is in its fifth year. Started in 2008, Holiday Magic originally started with Santa and Mrs. Claus handing out cookies downtown. It has grown each year, Norris said. “It started as a way to get people into town to support local business owners,� Norris said. “It has slowly evolved from there.� Since its inception, Holiday Magic has added caroling sung by area church members, a craft show with more than 20
former department store tradition. “We are of that era. We’re old enough to remember Wolf & Dessauer’s windows,� James said. Since most Festival of Trees guests used street or garage parking off Harrison, they walked right by the old Indiana Hotel on their way to Embassy Theatre. James saw an opportunity. “There was nothing that would make you
want to come to those windows. So I just said, let me do this ‌ What I was thinking, I don’t know,â€? she said, laughing. Since then, she and her husband, David, have brought the windows to life, revealing them to the public each year during the Night of Lights. The event draws thousands to downtown Fort Wayne to watch various lighting displays turn on for the holiday season, including the former Wolf & Dessauer Santa and his reindeer, and Merry Christmas wreath displays. The James’ window designs were first inspired by a storybook Christmas tree at the Embassy’s Festival of Trees. “Our windows are a story line,â€? David said. “When you go to the big cities, each window is a story in itself. But this is like reading a chapter book. Each window tells you a little piece of that story.â€? Kathy and David have worked with local sculptor and illustrator Don Johnson to create “Oscarâ€? the elf, a character who appears each year in the story line. Johnson illustrates the story and meticulously sculpts the characters before animator Dennis Baker works to mechanize their movements. Kathy describes Johnson as a perfectionist, something she thinks stems from his previous work as a pattern maker. “I always tell him, ‘Don, you’re too -iiĂŠWINDOW, ÂŤ>}iĂŠ £Ç